Chapter 122 Raising the Banner, Righteous Faction Lin Xiu

On this day, the area at the foot of Yixuan Manor was a sea of people. At the very front stood the various large and small martial arts halls of Yuan City, each group holding up a wooden signboard.

Qingyue Martial Arts Hall, Liuli Martial Arts Hall, Baoshan Martial Arts Hall...

"Go, double-check the plaques again."

"Turn the drum over there to face another direction. Don’t let the drum ring face the people."

"Liu, did you buy all the pre-ordered items?"

Song Tao was busy directing the workers hired from the village, his feet barely touching the ground.

Standing at the top of the hill, Xu Guang took one look and spotted all these highly renowned martial arts halls in Yuan City. The greatest factions in Yuan City were actually the City Guard’s Mansion and a Sect named Jingshou Hall. These martial arts halls were subordinate factions to the City Guard’s Mansion and Jingshou Hall, acting similarly to the Han, Liu, and Chen Three Major Clans in Feiyun City.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Xu Guang stood in front of the manor’s gates. The Painted Hide he wore gave him a much more mature appearance, making him look around thirty years old.

Wang Ming stood right beside him, looking down at the crowd with a smile and a hint of eagerness in his eyes. He had never seen such a grand spectacle before. According to what Erlang had said, he was to be the main force defending the arena today. He wondered when he had ever experienced such a majestic moment throughout his entire life.

In front of the two men was a massive arena. At the very front, Song Tao cupped his fists, exchanging pleasantries with the many martial artists.

A sound resembling a suona rang out, and the sea of people began to stir. The crowd parted like a diverted river, clearing out several paths.

A palanquin carried by four men slowly emerged from one of the cleared paths. At the very front was a flag-bearer, holding a flag painted with the words "Clear Wind."

"The Second Master of the Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall, Yue Liuchuan, has arrived!"

Before Xu Guang could even speak a word of greeting, the palanquin curtain was violently thrown open, and a figure darted out. It was a heroic-looking middle-aged man. With a look of disdain on his face, he glared at Xu Guang.

"You’re the one opening a martial arts hall? Yuan City is a dignified metropolis, yet any random riffraff thinks they can just set up shop here! You truly don’t know the immensity of heaven and earth!" the man bellowed. "Get up here!"

Wang Ming glanced at Xu Guang, then leaped forward, crossing onto the arena in just three bounds.

Xu Guang was silently surprised that this Yue Liuchuan actually possessed an Elite Level Refining Viscera cultivation. For the Second Master of the Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall to have such strength meant that Yuan City’s overall power was absolutely not inferior to Feiyun City’s.

As a veteran Refining Viscera martial artist, Yue Liuchuan didn’t even wait for Wang Ming to announce his name before striking first.

The cultivation technique he practiced was the Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall’s Clear Wind Force, a fist technique not typically known for its fierce aggression. However, Yue Liuchuan had somehow cultivated it to become incredibly aggressive, granting him immense physical strength.

Wang Ming, on the other hand, practiced the Iron Wire Skill, a cultivation technique he had learned from the Feiyun City Armory. The Iron Wire Fist within it had always been fierce, excelling at suppressing opponents with sheer momentum. As long as he gained a slight upper hand, he could continuously crush his foes layer by layer, endlessly expanding that sliver of a winning chance.

Unfortunately, he was up against Yue Liuchuan.

The two men’s power flew wildly across the arena. With every landed punch, a small crater was blasted into the bare stone stage.

After just a dozen exchanges, Wang Ming failed to secure an advantage and was struck in the right arm by Yue Liuchuan’s fist. Yue Liuchuan then kicked him off the arena, leaving Wang Ming with a flushed red face.

Xu Guang hurriedly helped Wang Ming up and checked his injuries before narrowing his eyes.

"You’ve got some skills, but to open a martial arts hall, you’re still not qualified!" Yue Liuchuan declared, clasping his hands behind his back in a highly arrogant posture.

He had always been a martial arts fanatic. Originally, this kind of dojo-challenging event wasn’t his responsibility. It was merely a request from the City Guard’s Mansion to absorb foreign martial artists. Yet, he had insisted on coming simply because he wanted to fight someone.

The crowd erupted into an uproar, followed by countless words of flattery.

"Master Yue truly lives up to his name! I heard that all the instructors at the Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall are now managed by Master Yue."

"Of course! Master Yue is a veteran Refining Viscera martial artist. How could any random riffraff provoke him?"

Listening to the chatter of the surrounding crowd and looking at the domineering Yue Liuchuan on the arena, Xu Guang sighed internally.

He thought, "As expected, a peaceful life requires a display of strength. Just as I only managed to secure a peaceful life in Feiyun City after killing Yang Sha in one strike, the same holds true here in Yuan City. I had originally thought that Wang Ming displaying his Refining Viscera cultivation would be enough to earn us the qualifications to open a martial arts hall. Now, it seems I was a bit naive. The local martial arts halls are far too impolite."

The next moment, his figure blurred. Like a drifting willow leaf, he fluttered down onto the arena.

It had to be said that his presence was truly extraordinary. Clad in a white training suit that fluttered wildly in the wind, he carried a unique aura. Just the way he took the stage made Yue Liuchuan’s expression turn grave.

"Who are you?" Yue Liuchuan asked, breaking his usual habit to ask for Xu Guang’s name.

He wasn’t stupid. Ever since Xu Guang stepped onto the stage, he couldn’t sense a single trace of aura from him. This kind of posture and demeanor couldn’t help but remind him of the Four Visceras Non-stop Realm.

And he himself was only at the Three Viscera realm.

Xu Guang chuckled lightly. "You came to challenge my dojo, yet you don’t know who I am?"

"Are you... Xu Yixuan?" Yue Liuchuan’s voice turned solemn before he cupped his fists. "Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall’s Yue Liuchuan requests Hall Master Xu’s guidance!"

He consciously addressed Xu Guang as "Hall Master." After all, opening a hall and sitting as a master was exceedingly easy for someone in the Four Viscera Realm.

Xu Guang chuckled again but didn’t look at him. Instead, he turned his gaze toward a specific direction in the crowd. There stood an incredibly obese man whose width was nearly equal to his height.

"You’ve been watching for so long, sir. Don’t you want to come up and join Master Yue?"

Seeing that man, Yue Liuchuan’s pupils shrank, and his expression grew heavy. This person was actually the master of the Bengshan Martial Arts Hall, Yu Qian!

Yu Qian’s body was incredibly fat. Even though the cleared path was wide enough, he still looked as if he was squeezing his way through.

"There’s no need. I acknowledge Hall Master Xu’s strength. I won’t go up there and make a fool of myself," Yu Qian smiled genially. Like a Maitreya Buddha, he possessed a kind face and a friendly attitude.